Lecanopteris sinuosa | |
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Scientific classification
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Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Division: | Polypodiophyta |
Class: | Polypodiopsida |
Order: | Polypodiales |
Suborder: | Polypodiineae |
Family: | Polypodiaceae |
Genus: | Lecanopteris |
Species: | L. sinuosa
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Binomial name | |
Lecanopteris sinuosa Wall. ex. Hook.
|
Lecanopteris sinuosa is a fern that belongs to the fern genus Lecanopteris. This epiphytic plant has a mutualistic relationship with stingless shelter ants, which makes it a myrmecophyte. [1]
The ant species associated with L. sinuosa belong within the genera Crematogaster, Technomyrmex or Iridomyrmex. [2] The ants rear their larvae within the rhizome for protection, and in turn, L. sinuosa receives nutritional benefit from feces and other debris left behind by the plants. [1] It is also suggested that L. sinuosa benefits from increased protection from herbivory and increased spore dispersal. [3]
Lecanopteris sinuosa belongs in the subgenus Myrmecopteris (comprising four species total), [4] which is characterized by ferns that have peltate scales and sori that are deeply immersed on the pinnae. [1]
The unique rhizome structure of L. sinuosa allows it to maintain a mutualistic relationship with ants. As the plant is young, the rhizome is solid (without cavities), but as it matures, the thin walled parenchyma cells begin to hollow. [1] These cells become infused with phlopaphene (a deep brown strengthening substance), which causes the rhizome to appear rock-like.
The monophyletic genus, Lecanopteris, is in the fern family, Polypodicaeae. It comprises two sub-genera: Lecanopteris and Myrmecopteris. The genus comprises 13 species total, all of which have rhizomes associated with ants. [1] [4] Subgenus Lecanopteris is monophyletic, and Myrmecopteris is paraphyletic and contains L. sinuosa. Within the sub-genus, L. sinuosa is sister to Lecanopteris crustacea, Lecanopteris sarcopus (syn. L. lomarioides), and sub-genus Lecanopteris. This phylogenic relationship was determined based on a tree using parsimony and maximum likelihood combined using genetic sequences from the rbcL gene and the trnL-F non-coding region. [4]
Lecanopteris sinuosa has been identified in Malesia, Sulawesi (Celebes), Philippines, New Guinea, Moluccas, Indochina, and Vanuatu. [4] It can survive in almost any habitat found in the listed locations except lowland rainforests. [1]
{{
cite journal}}
: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of January 2024 (
link)
Lecanopteris sinuosa | |
---|---|
![]() | |
![]() | |
Scientific classification
![]() | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Division: | Polypodiophyta |
Class: | Polypodiopsida |
Order: | Polypodiales |
Suborder: | Polypodiineae |
Family: | Polypodiaceae |
Genus: | Lecanopteris |
Species: | L. sinuosa
|
Binomial name | |
Lecanopteris sinuosa Wall. ex. Hook.
|
Lecanopteris sinuosa is a fern that belongs to the fern genus Lecanopteris. This epiphytic plant has a mutualistic relationship with stingless shelter ants, which makes it a myrmecophyte. [1]
The ant species associated with L. sinuosa belong within the genera Crematogaster, Technomyrmex or Iridomyrmex. [2] The ants rear their larvae within the rhizome for protection, and in turn, L. sinuosa receives nutritional benefit from feces and other debris left behind by the plants. [1] It is also suggested that L. sinuosa benefits from increased protection from herbivory and increased spore dispersal. [3]
Lecanopteris sinuosa belongs in the subgenus Myrmecopteris (comprising four species total), [4] which is characterized by ferns that have peltate scales and sori that are deeply immersed on the pinnae. [1]
The unique rhizome structure of L. sinuosa allows it to maintain a mutualistic relationship with ants. As the plant is young, the rhizome is solid (without cavities), but as it matures, the thin walled parenchyma cells begin to hollow. [1] These cells become infused with phlopaphene (a deep brown strengthening substance), which causes the rhizome to appear rock-like.
The monophyletic genus, Lecanopteris, is in the fern family, Polypodicaeae. It comprises two sub-genera: Lecanopteris and Myrmecopteris. The genus comprises 13 species total, all of which have rhizomes associated with ants. [1] [4] Subgenus Lecanopteris is monophyletic, and Myrmecopteris is paraphyletic and contains L. sinuosa. Within the sub-genus, L. sinuosa is sister to Lecanopteris crustacea, Lecanopteris sarcopus (syn. L. lomarioides), and sub-genus Lecanopteris. This phylogenic relationship was determined based on a tree using parsimony and maximum likelihood combined using genetic sequences from the rbcL gene and the trnL-F non-coding region. [4]
Lecanopteris sinuosa has been identified in Malesia, Sulawesi (Celebes), Philippines, New Guinea, Moluccas, Indochina, and Vanuatu. [4] It can survive in almost any habitat found in the listed locations except lowland rainforests. [1]
{{
cite journal}}
: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of January 2024 (
link)